What is phishing?

Phishing is a trick where someone pretends to be a trustworthy person or organization in order to steal personal information like passwords, credit‑card numbers, or other private data.

Let's break it down

  • Bait: The attacker creates a fake message that looks real (often an email, text, or call).
  • Lure: The message contains something urgent or tempting, such as “Your account will be closed” or “You won a prize.”
  • Hook: It asks the victim to click a link, open an attachment, or give personal details.
  • Victim: The person who believes the message is genuine and follows the instructions.
  • Channels: Common ways include email (most common), SMS (smishing), phone calls (vishing), social media, and instant‑messenger chats.

Why does it matter?

Phishing can lead to identity theft, stolen money, unauthorized access to work accounts, and the spread of malware. It also damages trust in online communication and can cost individuals and businesses millions of dollars.

Where is it used?

  • Email newsletters and fake invoices
  • Text messages claiming to be from banks or delivery services
  • Phone calls pretending to be tech support or government agencies
  • Social media posts or direct messages with fake offers
  • Fake websites that look like real login pages

Good things about it

  • Awareness: Phishing attacks have made people more cautious about sharing personal data.
  • Security training: Companies now run simulated phishing exercises to teach employees how to spot scams.
  • Better tools: The threat has driven the development of spam filters, email authentication standards (like SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and anti‑phishing browser warnings.
  • Stronger authentication: Organizations are moving to multi‑factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the impact of stolen passwords.

Not-so-good things

  • Victims can lose money, have their identity stolen, or suffer credit damage.
  • Companies may face data breaches, legal penalties, and loss of customer trust.
  • Phishing can spread malware that hijacks computers or encrypts files for ransom.
  • It creates a constant “cat‑and‑mouse” game, requiring ongoing effort and expense to stay protected.